NYU.edu requires JavaScript be enabled in your browser in order to use important features of the site. JavaScript is either disabled or not supported by your browser. For instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser, click here.

Sub Navigation

POLICY

Leave of Absence - Personal

A leave of absence is an unpaid, authorized, temporary absence from the payroll. When an employee requests a leave, the supervisor acts to initiate the leave process. Leave is granted by the University to guarantee employees continued employment and to protect certain benefits.

For Administrators and Professionals and Professional Research Staff: An employee may request a leave of absence of up to three months for personal reasons, including child care for newborn or newly adopted children. This type of leave is granted at the discretion of the person to whom the employee reports, who must obtain the approval of the School/Unit's Human Resources Officer.

For Office and Clerical (Local 3882) and Laboratory and Technical (Local 3882): Grants of personal leave are discretionary with the University, must be approved by the School/Unit's Human Resources Officer and Assistant Vice President for Human Resources and are not subject to the grievance and arbitration provisions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement with Local 3882.

For Service Staff (Local 1, Local 810): Refer to the appropriate contract for all information about personal leave.

Benefits During Leaves of Absence

Certain benefits can be continued during a leave for Administrator and Professional, Office and Clerical (Local 3882) and Laboratory and Technical (Local 3882), as described below. If an employee plans to take a leave of absence, it is his or her responsibility to contact NYU PeopleLink to arrange for continuation of benefits.

For Service Staff (Local 1, Local 810) employees, please refer to the appropriate contract for all information about benefits during leaves. For Non-Union Service staff, please contact the NYU PeopleLink.

Insurance
NYU will continue its contributions to an employee’s health, dental, and life insurance coverage while an employee is on leave. If he or she currently has coverage that requires an employee contribution, he or she must continue to make that contribution. If employee contributions are not made, the benefit will be terminated and will not be able to be reinstated.

Social Security
Because an employee is not paid while on leave, no Social Security taxes are paid during that time. Eligibility for Social Security Disability or Retirement benefits depends on the number of quarters an employee has worked and paid Social Security taxes; an employee's eligibility for those benefits could be affected by a leave.

Sick Time
If you are out on an unpaid leave of absence, you do not continue to accrue sick pay time until you are actively back at work. Once you are actively back at work you will begin to accrue additional sick time. However, this new time cannot be used to pay for unpaid time from a former leave. It can only be used for illness that occurs after your return from leave.

Vacation
An employee earns vacation credit for any month in which he or she receives 15 or more days of full pay.

Holidays
An employee is not paid for any holiday(s) which occur during his or her leave of absence. If a holiday falls on the first working day after the expiration date of a leave, the employee is not paid for the holiday. His or her pay will resume on the first day the employee physically returns to work.

Tuition Remission
An employee may not use his or her individual employee tuition remission privileges while on leave. During leave, an employee’s spouse and/or dependent children who are enrolled in a degree program may continue to use tuition remission toward the completion of a degree.

Retirement Plan
For Administrators and Professionals and Professional Research Staff, NYU will suspend its contributions to the Retirement Plan during an employee’s leave of absence and resume them when he or she returns. He or she will retain the amount already in the account during the leave and it can continue to earn interest and/or dividends.